Process for making tangled yarn



Feb. 7, 1967 C.J. GONSALVES ET AL 3,302,386

PROCESS FOR MAKING TANGLED YARN Filed Oct. 16, 1964 INVENTf'MaS. [av/2A0 6671/5/16 1 55 W/LLfi/W a VAN ANA/0L7 FR mus W. JODNG ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,302,386 PROCESS FOR MAKING TANGLED YARN Conrad J. Gonsalves and Willem C. van Anholt, Arnhem, Netherlands, assignors to American Enka Corporation, Enka, NC, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 404,340 Claims priority, application Netherlands, Oct. 31, 1963,

16 Claims. for. 57-157 This invention relates to the production of a tangled yarn and relates more particularly to a process and apparatus for producing a tangled multifilamentary material from one or more substantially untwisted filamentary yarns, and to the product so-produced.

As conducive to a better understanding of the instant inventive concepts, the following background material should be considered. Various processes have been suggested heretofore for producing bulky filamentary material similar to natural fibers from synthetic yarns. For example, such synthetic filaments have been formed into staple which were subsequently spun and twisted. Such a procedure is obviously complex involving numerous intermediate steps, rendering the same time consuming and expensive. Attempts have been made to produce a bulky filamentary product without stapling the starting material while maintaining the endless fibers in their original structure by curling or crimping the same. These processes have frequently resulted in commercially unacceptable products since the entire filamentary structure was simultaneously curled in the same direction whereby its strength in relation to stretching was deleteriously affected. Other prior art procedures have suggested irregularly laying the individual capillary filaments by curling or looping them separately thereby providing a bulky product without substantially increasing the elasticity of the same. For example, filaments were passed through a widening current of air with high turbulence under slight torsion to loosen the individual filaments and arrange them irregularly. The resultant product was then immediately high twisted to fix the looped formation. Such materials tend to have exaggerated irregularities with extremely large and extremely small loops and with many of the individual filaments damaged by the extreme turbulence. In order to better control the formation of the loops, a procedure was suggested whereby the filaments were passed through a spiral current of air thereby reducing the turbulence. However, this procedure did not result in sufiicient bulk.

More recently, an improved process and apparatus for the production of looped filaments, that is, multifilamentary yarn wherein some of the individual filaments project from the surface as loops, was provided by passing a pres-twisted assembly of endless synthetic filaments through a yarn channel and contacting the same with a stream of a gaseous material, such as air, under pressure, directed transversely to the longitudinal dimension of the yarn against the direction of twist to momentarily loosen the filaments, opening the yarn to form the capillary loops.

It has now been found that a similar process and apparatus can be utilized to treat one or more substantially untwisted yarns to form a tangled product, that is, a multifilamentary material having the individual filaments intertwined and consequently formed into a coherent bundle which can be further processed in a relatively easy manner. Such a procedure involves slidingly engaging the yarn with the inlet and outlet walls of the yarn channel on opposite sides of the longitudinal, axis of the same while simultaneously blowing a gaseous material such as air into the yarn channel intermediate the ends of the channel and eccentrically offset with respect to the longiice tudinal axis of the same on the same side as the portion of the inlet end which is contacted by the yarn being fed.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for the production of a tangled yarn from one or more substantially untwisted filamentary materials, both the method and the apparatus being relatively inexpensive and efiicient.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a tangled yarn which is free from the foregoing and other defects and which has an attractive appearance and high bulk.

A further object of the instant invention is the provision of a method and apparatus for the production of a tangled yarn wherein, according to certain embodiments, the product is also looped.

Other and further objects reside in the manipulative steps of the process, the combination of elements and arrangement of parts of the apparatus, and the characteristics of the product yarn.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and as shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus for carrying out one embodiment of the process of the instant invention utilizing a single supply of untwisted yarn;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the tangling device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the relationship between the yarn and a tangling device having an opposite eccentric offset to the device of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 66 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 77 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary schematic view of an apparatus for performing a modified process in accordance with the instant inventive concept whereby a plurality of substantially untwisted yarns are utilized.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in general, and more particularly to FIGURES l-4, a process and apparatus for the production of twisted yarns in accordance with one embodiment of the instant inventive concept is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and in cludes a supply 12 of one substantially untwisted filamentary yarn 14. A tangling device 16 is provided including portions defining a yarn channel 18 having a longitudinal axis 20, an inlet end 22 and an outlet end 24, and also including portions defining a gas supply channel 26 communicating with the yarn channel 18 intermediate the inlet and outlet ends with means (not shown) for blowing a gaseous material, preferably air, through the gas supply channel 26 in the direction of the arrow 28.

Any conventional feed means 30, a pair of rollers being shown as illustrative, delivers a quantity of the yarn 14 from the supply 12 through a guide 15 into the yarn channel 18 in sliding engagement with a portion 32 of the wall defining the inlet end 22.

Withdrawal means 34 deliver the tangled yarn 14 from the yarn channel 18 in sliding engagement with a portion 36 of the wall defining the outlet end 24 of the same to a yarn takeup means 38 through the guide 40 and over a guide means 42 of a reciprocable traverse rod 14.

The relationship of the feed means 30 and the withdrawal means 34 to the inlet and outlet ends 22, 24,

respectively, of the yarn channel 18 is such as to define an angle A between the fed yarn 14 and the withdrawn yarn 14; the angle A preferably being between 60 and 120 degrees.

As will be seen particularly in FIGURES 2 and 4, the end of the gas supply channel 26 which communicates with the yarn channel 18 is eccentrically offset by a distance 46 with respect to the longitudinal axis 20 of the yarn channel 18, the gas supply channel 26 communicating with the yarn channel 18 within the angle A and the portion 32 of the inlet end 22 of the yarn channel 18 with which the yarn 14 is in sliding engagement is on the same side of the longitudinal axis 20 of the yarn channel 18 as the offset 46 while the portion 36 of the outlet end 24 of the yarn channel 18 is on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis 20 of the yarn channel 18 from the offset 46.

It has been found that feeding the yarn 14 to the yarn channel 18 at a greater rate than it is withdrawn and at the specific angular relationship set forth hereinabove will produce a firmly tangled, attractive yarn from a substantially untwisted multifilamentary starting material. By utilizing a feed rate of from about 3 to about percent higher than the withdrawal rate, which is less than 250 meters per minute, a satisfactory tangled yarn may be produced. It has also been found that if the yarn is fed at a speed in excess of 10 percent, and preferably in excess of percent, higher than the withdrawal rate, a tangled looped yarn may be readily attained.

An optimum product may be produced by utilizing a gaseous material, preferably compressed air, at a gauge pressure of from 1 to 5 atmospheres.

A gaseous material is preferably blown into the yarn channel 18 at an angle B with respect to the longitudinal axis of the yarn channel 18, the angular relationship being acute on the yarn inlet side 22 of the yarn channel 18 and obtuse on the yarn outlet side 24 of the same whereby at least a major portion of the gaseous material is directed to flow through the yarn channel 18 in the same direction as the travel of the yarn. This tends to separate the individual filaments in the yarn since the yarn is unstressed on the yarn outlet side of the stream of gaseous material. This feature is further enhanced by conically widening the yarn channel 18 from the inlet end 22 to the outlet end 24. However, it is preferable that at least a portion of the gaseous material be directed to flow through the yarn channel 18 in the opposite direction to the travel of the yarn to provide maximum tension on the yarn immediately preceding the contact with the main stream of the gaseous material. Relationship of the configuration and dimensions of the yarn channel 18 and the rate of feed and pressure of the gaseous material is therefore preferably adjusted to produce this result. The mean diameter of the yarn channel 18 and the gas supply channel 26 is preferably about 2 to about 15 times the thickness of the yarn being processed and the length of the yarn channel 18 is preferably about 5 to 6 times the mean diameter.

If the yarn is fed to, and withdrawn from, the tangling device 16 as indicated in dotted lines at 14" and 14 in FIGURE 2, the desired results will not be obtained.

In FIGURES 5-7 wherein like parts are designated by like reference numerals followed by the suffix a the relationship of the yarn to the tangling device is shown when the eccentric offset between the outlet from the gas supply channel and the longitudinal axis of the yarn channel is reversed.

In FIGURE 8 a method and apparatus for producing a tangled yarn in accordance with another embodiment of the instant inventive concept is shown, parts similar to the embodiment of FIGURES 1-4 having been designated by the same reference characters followed by the suffix b. In this embodiment, a plurality of supplies of substantially untwisted filamentary materials have been provided, two being shown for illustrative purposes. The yarns 14b are separately fed to the yarn channel 18b in sliding engagement with substantially the same portion 32b of the wall defining the inlet end 22b of the same, the yarns being withdrawn together from the yarn channel 18b as a single filamentary structure 14b, the withdrawal rate of which is less than the feed rate of each of the yarns being supplied. The feed rate of at least one of the yarns is from about 3 to about 10 percent higher than the withdrawal rate of the filamentary structure 14b and the feed rate of at least one other of the yarns 14b is at least in excess of 10, and preferably in excess of 15 percent of the withdrawal rate to produce a highly desirable tangled looped yarn product.

Preferably, a conventional twist means 50 is operatively interposed between the outlet end 2412 of the yarn channel 18b and the withdrawal means 38b which in this instance is shown as a surface take-up, whereby preferably approximately 40 turns per meter are imparted to the filamentary structure 14b to further improve the coherent nature of the product.

Optimum results have been realized with the instant inventive concepts if the denier of the filaments in the starting materials are lower than about 3.0 and if the yarn is made up of at least 10 filaments.

It will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved process and apparatus for the production of a tangled or tangled looped yarn and an improved product which satisfies all of the objectives of the instant invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

Since many embodiments may be made of the instant inventive concepts, and since many modifications may be made of the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Accordingly,

What is claimed is:

1. A process for the production of a tangled yarn comprising providing a supply of at least one substantially untwisted filamentary yarn, defining a yarn channel having a longitudinal axis, an inlet end and an outlet end, feeding a quantity of yarn from said supply into said yarn channel in sliding engagement with a portion of said inlet end, withdrawing said quantity of yarn from said yarn channel in sliding engagement with a portion of said outlet end, the feed rate being in excess of the withdrawal rate and the fed yarn defining an angular relationship with respect to the withdrawn yarn, and substantially transversely contacting said quantity of yarn intermediate said inlet and outlet ends of said yarn channel with a stream of gaseous material by blowing said gaseous material into said yarn channel eccentrically offset with respect to said longitudinal axis of said yarn channel, said portion of said inlet end of said yarn channel being on the same side of said longitudinal axis as said offset and a portion of said outlet end of said yarn channel being on the opposite side of said longitudinal axis from said offset.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said gaseous material is air.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein said gaseous material is blown at a pressure of from about 1 to about 5 atmospheres.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the fed yarn and the withdrawn yarn define an angle of from 60 to degrees with respect to each other, said gaseous material being blown into said yarn channel within said angle.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein said gaseous material is blown into said yarn channel at an angle with respect to said longitudinal axis of said yarn channel, the angular relationship between said longitudinal axis and said stream of gaseous material being acute on the yarn inlet side of said yarn channel and obtuse on the yarn outlet side of the same whereby at least the major portion of said gaseous material is directed to flow through said yarn channel in the same direction as the travel of said quantity of yarn.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein the relationship of the configuration and dimensions of said yarn channel with the rate of feed and pressure of said gaseous material is such that a portion of said gaseous material is directed to flow through said yarn channel in a direction opposite to the travel of said quantity of yarn.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the withdrawal rate is less than 250 meters per minute.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the feed rate is from about 3 to about percent higher than the withdrawal rate.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the feed rate is in excess of 10* percent higher than the withdrawal rate to produce a tangled looped yarn.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the feed rate is in excess of percent higher than the withdrawal rate to produce a tangled looped yarn.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein a supply of a plurality of substantially untwisted filamentary yarns are provided, a quantity of each of said yarns being separately fed at different feed rates to said yarn channel in sliding engagement with substantially the same portion of said inlet end, said yarns being withdrawn together from said yarn channel as a single filamentary structure, the with- 6 drawal rate of which is less than the feed rate of all of the quantities of yarn to produce a tangled looped yarn.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein the feed rate of at least one of said yarns is from about 3 to about 10 percent higher than the withdrawal rate, and the feed rate of at least one other of said yarns is at least in excess of 10 percent of the withdrawal rate.

13. The process of claim 11 wherein each yarn is less than 3 denier.

14. The process of claim 11 wherein each yarn includes at least 10 filaments.

15. The process of claim 11 further including the step of twisting said filamentary structure after withdrawing the same from said yarn channel.

16. The process of claim 15 wherein at least turns per meter are imparted to said filamentary structure.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,104,516 9/1963 Field 57-157 FOREIGN PATENTS 825,237 12/ 1959 Great Britain.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

L. K. RIMRODT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A TANGLED YARN COMPRISING PROVIDING A SUPPLY OF AT LEAST ONE SUBSTANTIALLY UNTWISTED FILAMENTARY YARN, DEFINING A YARN CHANNEL HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS, AN INLET END AND AN OUTLET END, FEEDING A QUANTITY OF YARN FROM SAID SUPPLY INTO SAID YARN CHANNEL IN SLIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH A PORTION OF SAID INLET END, WITHDRAWING SAID QUANTITY OF YARN FROM SAID YARN CHANNEL IN SLIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH A PORTION OF SAID OUTLET END, THE FEED RATE BEING IN EXCESS OF THE WITHDRAWAL RATE AND THE FED YARN DEFINING AN ANGULAR RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO THE WITHDRAWN YARN, AND SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSELY CONTACTING SAID QUANTITY OF YARN INTERMEDIATE SAID INLET AND OUTLET ENDS OF SAID YARN CHANNEL WITH A STREAM OF GASEOUS MATERIAL BY BLOWING SAID GASEOUS MATERIAL INTO SAID YARN CHANNEL ECCENTRICALLY OFFSET WITH RESPECT TO SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID YARN CHANNEL, SAID PORTION OF SAID INLET END OF SAID YARN CHANNEL BEING ON THE SAME SIDE OF SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS AS SAID OFFSET AND A PORTION OF SAID OUTLET END OF SAID YARN CHANNEL BEING ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS FROM SAID OFFSET. 